Replacing the battery in your 2017 Jeep Cherokee key fob should be a straightforward task, right? However, some owners, including myself, have encountered a perplexing issue: installing a fresh battery doesn’t immediately bring the key fob back to life. After experiencing this firsthand, and even trying multiple new batteries, I discovered a simple yet undocumented trick that might save you a trip to the dealership.
The Mystery of the Non-Responsive Key Fob
Like many others, when my 2017 Jeep Cherokee key fob started to weaken, indicated by inconsistent range and occasional failures to respond, my first step was to replace the battery. I followed the standard procedure, carefully opening the fob and swapping in a brand-new battery. To my surprise, the fob remained stubbornly unresponsive. Thinking it might be a faulty battery, I repeated the process with several different new and even used batteries – seven in total! Each time, the result was the same: no response from the key fob. Frustrated, I reinstalled the original, weak battery, and inexplicably, the fob sprang back to life, albeit with its limited range.
The Unexpected Solution: The Fob-on-Start-Button Trick
After numerous attempts and growing frustration, I stumbled upon a solution by accident. Remembering the procedure for starting the vehicle when the key fob battery is completely dead, I decided to try it. I entered my Jeep Cherokee, positioned the key fob directly against the start button, and pressed the button to start the engine. The engine turned over and started normally. After this, to my astonishment, the key fob began functioning perfectly again! All functions, including remote start, locking, and unlocking, were restored to normal operation.
Why This Works: Unofficial Insights
While Jeep dealerships may not officially acknowledge or document this phenomenon, it appears there might be a memory or reset process within the key fob system or the vehicle itself. It’s possible that the system monitors the key fob battery level and, upon detecting a change, requires a reset or recalibration to recognize the new power source. Starting the vehicle using the fob-on-start-button method might trigger this necessary reset, allowing the system to acknowledge the new battery. It’s a workaround that seems to bypass whatever undocumented process is preventing the fob from working immediately after a battery replacement.
Dealer Frustration and the Costly Alternative
My experience with this issue extended to the dealership, where seeking assistance proved unhelpful and financially motivated. The dealership staff, surprisingly, didn’t seem aware of this simple fix. Instead of offering a solution, they immediately suggested costly alternatives: purchasing a new key fob, replacing the battery at an exorbitant price, or reprogramming the existing fob – none of which would be covered under warranty. This experience mirrors a growing trend across manufacturers, where basic maintenance issues are turned into revenue opportunities, leaving customers feeling frustrated and taken advantage of. It’s a stark contrast to the simpler maintenance experiences I had with older Chrysler vehicles, highlighting a potential shift in customer service philosophy within the automotive industry.
Battery Longevity: A Noteworthy Observation
Adding to the frustration is the comparatively short lifespan of the 2017 Jeep Cherokee key fob battery. While my older 2002 Chrysler key fob battery lasted around 8 years, the Jeep Cherokee’s battery seems to last only 1-2 years. Although the older vehicle lacked remote start, and the newer Jeep utilizes remote start frequently, the disparity in battery life is significant. Even with consciously limiting the use of the remote start and minimizing unnecessary button presses on the Jeep fob to conserve battery, the replacement frequency remains much higher.
Conclusion: A Simple Fix for a Puzzling Problem
If you encounter a non-responsive key fob after replacing the battery in your 2017 Jeep Cherokee, don’t panic and don’t rush to the dealership just yet. Try the fob-on-start-button method. Position your key fob against the start button and start your vehicle. This simple, undocumented trick might be all it takes to reset the system and get your key fob working again, saving you time, money, and unnecessary frustration. While the exact technical reason behind this solution remains unclear, its effectiveness is undeniable based on personal experience and may help other 2017 Jeep Cherokee owners facing the same perplexing key fob issue.
